Break device for hinge supports



March 16, 1943. c. c. HICKS BREAK DEVICE FOR HINGE SUPPORTS Flled Sept 22, 1941 Patented Mar. 16, 1943 2,314,144 BREAK DEVICE FOR HINGE SUPPORTS Chester-C. Hicks, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application September 22, 1941, Serial No. 411,782 (01. 311-64) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a break device for a hinge support, and is particularly applicable to hinge supports for drop leaf tables, whereby the hinge support may be conveniently broken by manual manipulation at the table edge.

It being recognized that it is inconvenient and awkward to reach far under the leaf of a dropleaf table to simultaneously grasp and break both of the hinge supports, it is the purpose of this invention to provide a break device therefor which may be readily manipulated at the edge of the table leaf to effect the desired breaking action.

The invention therefore comprises a member movable. relative to and in engagement with the upper edge of the short arm of the hinge support, which member is connected to a pull rod extending to adjacent the edge of the table-operable to actuate the member in such fashion as to press said short arm downwardly into hingebreaking position.

Other objects and features of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims:

Fig. l is a horizontal section through a portion of a table and its drop leaf with the break device in inoperative position. Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 showing said device in operated position. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device with a portion of the pull rod broken away. Fig. 4 is a modified form of the device as shown in Fig. 3, with parts broken away.

In the drawing, there is shown a portion of a drop-leaf table including the fixed table top Hi having its usual rigidly secured side flange or board ii secured thereto. The drop leaf I2 is hinged to the table top by the usual hinge Id.

The leaf i2 is supported in its raised position by a hinge support comprising a long arm it and a short arm L5. The long arm is hingedly connected to the board i I by the hinge I6, and to the short arm by the hinge ll. The opposite end of the short arm is hinged to the drop leaf by the bracket hinge I8 secured thereto.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the bracket hinge it which is rigidly secured to the drop leaf by the screws i9 is provided with a tongue 20 having a slight downward bend, which tongue is hingedly connected at 2! to the plate 22. Said plate is formed with an upwardly bent finger 23 with its free end in engagement with the underside of the drop leaf so as to always maintain said plate in downwardly extending spaced relation thereto.

The lower or free end of said plate is formed 25 having a head 26 at each end and carrying a roller 21 intermediate the bearings 24. One end of the pin 25 is elongated to provide an extension about which the end of a pull strap or rod 28 is looped at 29. The opposite end of the pull rod is provided with a finger hold 30, and is slidably supported on the drop leaf by the eyelet 3 I. The

hinge 2i is provided with a coiled tension spring 32 arranged to nomnally maintain the plate 22 in its inoperative or retracted position.

In operation, when it is desired to break the hinge support to lower the drop leaf, the finger hold 30 is grasped and the strap 28 pulled until roller 21 swings into engagement with the short arm l5. Continued pull thereupon has the effect of forcing said short arm downwardly with hinge breaking position. Thus the drop leaf may be lowered. Upon releasing the pull rod, spring 32 causes the roller to return to its inoperative posifiglrf with flnger 23 inengagement with the drop Inthe modified form of the device, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the bracket hinge -i it represents the standard type generally used on drop leaf table to connect the short arm of the hinge support thereto. As shown, a supplemental hinge plate I22 may be secured to the table leaf adjacent the bracket hinge I I8 for carrying the hinge 2| and spring 32. The forward end of said supplemental plate is the same as the corresponding portion of plate 22.

It will be readily apparent that the break de-' vice may take other forms, that herein shown and described being merely by way of illustration. Thus, the pull strap may be in the form of a cable with a retracting spring, and the arm engaging member may at all times be in engagement with the short arm for forcing it downwardly upon the pull strap being. pulled from adjacent the edge of the leaf.

The invention claimed is:

1. The combination with a table top having a depending apron, a drop leaf hinged thereto, and a brace comprising a lower arm hinged at one end to said apron and an upper arm hinged at one end to the underside of said leaf, said arms being hingedly connected at their upper and lower ends respectively adapted to support said leaf in its elevated position when brought into alignment with each other and to permit said leaf to be lowered when their hinged connection is broken outwardly, of a break device for the hinged connection of said brace including a pull strap having a finger hold adjacent the free edge of said with bearings 24 at each side for securing a pin leaf operable to be manually pulled outwardly into hinge breaking position, means for slidably supporting said strap on the underside of said leaf, and an actuatingmember operably connected with said pull strap arranged to extend downwardly from the underside of said leaf and having a free end for engagement with the upper edge of the upper brace arm adapted to depress said arm for breaking the hinge outwardly and downwardly upon said pull strap being pulled outwardly.

2. The combination with a table top having a depending apron, a drop leaf hinged thereto, and a brace comprising a lower arm hinged at one end to said apron and an upper arm hinged at one end to the underside of said leaf, said arms being hingedly connected at their upper and lower ends respectively for supporting said leaf in its elevated position when brought into alignment with each other and to permit said leaf to be lowered when their hinged connection is broken outwardly and downwardly, of a break device for said brace comprising a pull strap slidably supported upon the underside of the table leaf, a lever member pivoted to the underside of said leaf above the upper arm of the brace and having a free edge in position for engagement with the upper edge of the upper arm, and a connection between said pul1 strap and member whereby when said pull strap is moved in one direction said member will be swung downwardly into engagement with the upper edge of said upper arm to force the same downwardly and outwardly about its hinged connection. 4

3. The combination with a table top having 8. depending apron, a drop leaf hinged thereto, and

a brace comprising a lower arm hinged at one end to said apron and an upper arm hinged at one end to the underside of said leaf, said arms being hingedly connected at their upper and lower ends respectively for supporting said leaf in its elevated position when brought into alignment with each other and to permit said leaf to be lowered when their hinged connection is broken outwardly and downwardly, of a break device for said brace comprising a pull strap slidably supported upon the underside of the table leaf, a lever member pivoted to the underside of said leaf above the upper arm of the brace and having a free edge in position for engagement with the upper edge of the upper arm, a connection between said pul1 strap and member whereby when said pull strap is moved in one direction said member will be swung downwardly into engagement with the upper edge of said upper arm to force the same downwardly and outwardly about its hinged connection to permit the lowering of said leaf, and a spring operably connected with said member for returning said lever member to inactive position upon the pull strap being released.

CHES'I'ER. C. HICKS. 

